About the book: 2004 / The King is Dead! Long live the king! However, the young ruler of Rendell, Florian, is stupid and weak-willed. In fact, all power is concentrated in the hands of his mother, the Dowager Queen Isa, whose main goal is to under no circumstances allow the daughter of the late king Yasenka, recognized by her father just before his death and declared by him to be the rightful heir, to the throne. Meanwhile, in the north, an unknown evil is growing and strengthening power - the Great Darkness, ready to fall on Rendel...Only by uniting and calling on magic for help, the Four Great Houses can save the state and protect its inhabitants from extermination. But is it really possible to reach agreement at a court ruled by traitors and intriguers??